Khulna
'Golden fibre' no longer holds glitter for Khulna jute farmers
A major cash crop for over three million small farm households in Bangladesh, jute is no longer considered a 'golden fibre' in Khulna. Unfavourable weather, low production and lack of government support have forced many farmers in the country's southwestern district to turn away from the crop in the past couple of years.
One of the most affordable natural fibers, jute is a biodegradable product used for making carpets, ropes and bags. The United Nations has long been advocating the use of jute products as a green alternative to plastics to help save the environment.
Read: BUILD explores producing paper pulp from whole jute plant
And at a time when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government seeks to diversify exports to help the country tide over the Covid-induced economic crisis, jute farmers in Khulna say exports to countries, including India, Pakistan and China, are likely to take a hit this year. India and Pakistan are Bangladesh's two largest markets for raw jute exports.
Farmers say cultivating jute is backbreaking work as the crop takes eight to 10 months to mature. And once the crop is ready, it has to be cut and soaked in water. Subsequently, jute has to be separated, dried and pressed into bales.
Read: International tender called for reopening closed jute mills: Jute Minister
"Last year, Khulna farmers suffered huge crop loss due to Cyclone Amphan and consequent flooding. There was also no government support as such. This year, jute production has been hit in the district and adjoining areas due to hostile weather. So, it will not be possible for us to export the desired quantity of raw jute to India, Pakistan and China," says a farmer.
Drought casts shadow over boro yield in Khulna
These days, farmers in Khulna district are a worried lot. Having grappled with drought and the unrelented heat wave for the past eight months, the farmers fear they may not be able to even recover the production cost of boro paddy this year.
Though the farmers are now looking towards the government for some financial help, there has been word from the authorities concerned on the situation so far. "We expected a good harvest, but inclement weather played spoilsport in harvesting this year," said a farmer.
Read Countrywide Boro paddy procurement begins
In fact, the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Khulna has set a target to produce 57,000 metric tonnes of boro paddy on 57,540 hectares of land this year, of which 21,000 hectares have been brought under the dry season rice cultivation in Dumuria upazila alone.
Already, many farmers have harvested their paddy and threshing work is on. Boro is the dry season irrigated rice crop planted between December and early February and harvested from April to June.
Also read: Govt to buy 11.50 lakh mts Boro rice
No hotel vacancy in Benapole and Narail
Bangladeshis returning from India through Benapole checkpost are being sent to hotels in Khulna for 14-days quarantine.
Since Saturday, India-returnees have been sent to Khulna.
After all the 12 hotels and a madrasa in Benapole were filled with people from India by Thursday, they were sent to the hotels in Narail on Friday.
Also read: 105 Bangladeshis return from India through Benapole
To cope with overwhelming crowd of returnees, this step has been taken.
Every day, Bangladeshis stuck in India are returning in groups through Benapole checkpost.
Read Liquid oxygen import from India suspended at Benapole
Most of the stranded passengers were staying in India for treatment.
About 70 Bangladeshis returned to the country by 3 pm on Sunday.
They were taken to Khulna under special arrangements.
Also read: 15 stranded Bangladeshis return home through Benapole
So far 1199 people have returned from India after the lockdown.
As per the government instructions, the returnees are being kept in 14-day institutional quarantine.
Read Arms, valuables, drugs worth Tk 120 crore seized from Benapole in 2020
DSA case: Workers’ leader Ruhul Amin gets bail
A Khulna court on Sunday granted bail to Ruhul Amin, workers’ leader of the jute mills movement, in a case filed under the Digital Security Act.
Khulna Metropolitan Sessions Court Judge Shahidul Islam passed the order.
The court earlier rejected Ruhul Amin, also coordinator of Sramik-Krishak, Chhatra-Janata Oikya Parishad in Khulna bail plea on March 1 and March 14.
The leftist leader was placed on a two-day remand on February 27.
Ruhul Amin, was picked up by law enforcers from Khalishpur in Khulna city on February 26 as he criticized the government on social media protesting the death of writer Mushtaq Ahmed in custody.
Ruhul was shown arrested under the Digital Security Act the next day.
Khulna shrimp farmers fighting to regain business amid pandemic
The shrimp farmers in Khulna district are struggling to cope up with the Covid-19 pandemic effect amid the low price of shrimp.
At the beginning of the pandemic, the shrimp farmers were counting a huge loss due to the high price of fish fry and fish feed and the drop in shrimp prices also added to their woes during the outbreak.
Fisheries officials, frozen shrimp export organizations and shrimp farmers said frozen shrimp export is the second largest sector in the country and shrimp is being cultivated in Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira and other districts in the country.
Read Lockdown: Sirajganj dairy farmers in trouble again
The frozen shrimp organisations have stopped collecting shrimp from the farmers. As a result the prices of shrimp have fallen in the local market, which affected the shrimp farmers badly.
Toufique Mahmud, fish inspection and quality control inspector, said a total of 29,540 metric tonnes of shrimp has been exported from Khulna region in the 2019-2020 fiscal year. The market value of the shrimp was Tk 2,360 crore.
But in the current 2020-2021 fiscal years, some 21,490 metric tonnes of shrimp has been exported and the price of the shrimp was found Tk 1,571 crore, which showed a good sign in the export sector, he said.
Also read: Bagerhat shrimp industry reeling under double whammy of rain and drought
Covid-19 lockdown: Khulna hunkers behind shutters
The busy streets of Khulna city wore a deserted look on Wednesday, with vanishingly few residents seen out in public at the onset of a fresh seven-day lockdown, with stricter enforcement expected of rules that are already stricter in response to the Second Wave of Covid-19.
All shops except for pharmacies and groceries were shut on Wednesday. Even the always-bustling Shibari intersection, known for a chronic bustle, is almost silent.
The streets were empty. There was no public transport except for a few rickshaws and pushcarts.
Those spotted on the sidewalks were people out for shopping or are hospital employees or emergency service workers.
Also read: Fresh lockdown in Bangladesh: Experts skeptical about having any great result
The nationwide new lockdown that started on Wednesday will continue until April 21.
The law enforcers were seen occupying the city intersections. Police teams were also spotted patrolling the streets. Anyone who was out on the street, defying the government-imposed restrictions, was stopped by them.
All the offices in the city are closed now. However, the emergency services are still running. And the emergency service workers are either moving on foot or using their vehicle.
Mofassil Alam, a showroom owner in Moilapota intersection, said: "We have closed our showrooms following the government's restrictions. We will welcome the customers back if there is a new instruction in this connection."
Also read: Bangladesh put under complete lockdown amid Covid spike
Pilot, a tea seller at Shibari intersection, said: "There are not many customers as Ramadan has begun. The lockdown has also begun. So, I've kept my store shut."
Rickshaw puller Md Moni said, "This lockdown has been very harsh on us. My income has collapsed as the first day of the lockdown wears on. What am I going to eat now?"
The cabinet division on Monday issued a notification declaring a strict lockdown to contain the spike in Covid-19 infections.
All offices, public transport, markets, shopping malls, shops, hotels and restaurants will remain closed until midnight on Apr 21. However, factories will remain open and limited banking services will be available.
Sunflower cultivation in Khulna: Salinity no longer a barrier
Salinization of soil is a serious problem in the coastal areas of Bangladesh as it has adverse effects on crop production. Despite the challenge, farmers in Khulna’s coastal areas have shown success in cultivating sunflower in fallow saline land.
New possibilities have been created to meet the demand for high-quality sunflower oil. Farmers are also expecting bumper yields at low cost.
Research is underway on sunflower cultivation in the Robi season in the Salinity Management and Research Center of Batiaghata Upazila of Khulna under the Gopalganj-Khulna-Bagerhat-Satkhira-Pirojpur Agriculture Development Project (SRDI Organ).
Read Gaibandha women turn problem into profit
Sunflower seeds have been sown in wet soil here by the ‘dibbling method’ after harvesting Aman paddy in mid-November. Then the roots of the seedlings were tied and fertilizer was applied.
Three varieties have been used in the study- Local, Bari Suryamukhi-2, and Haisan-33. Of these, the yield of Haisan-33 variety has been good.
According to the chief scientific officer of the Center for Salinity Management and Research, sunflower is the salinity-tolerant crop. As a result, there is huge potential for sunflower cultivation in coastal areas.
Also read: Khulna farmers strike gold with sunflower
Vast tracts of land remain unused in the south, after harvesting Aman paddy. It is difficult to grow any other crop easily as there is salinity in the soil and water. By cultivating sunflower through the dibbling method, the fallow land will come under cultivation.
Man to die for killing JaPa leader in Khulna
A tribunal on Monday convicted a man and sentenced him to death for killing Jatiya Party leader Sheikh Abul Kashem in 1995.
The condemned convict is Tarik Hossain. He was tried in absentia.
The court also acquitted six people as allegations brought against them could not be proved.
Those acquitted are—Tariqul Hud, Abdul Gaffar Biswash, Wasiqur Rahman, Mushfiqur Rahman, Mafizur Rahman and Milton alias Anisur Rahman.
According to the prosecution, Sheikh Abul Kashem, former general secretary of Khulna Metropolitan unit of Jatiya Party and his driver Mikail Hossain were shot dead by some miscreants on April 25, 1995.
Also read: JaPa leader sued in Ctg for ‘hurting religious sentiments’
On May 5, 1996, CID submitted chargesheet against ten people. The other accused in the case are Iktier Uddin Babul, Syed Manirul Islam and Aminul Haque.
On June 8, 1997, the government exonerated Aminul from the murder charge. Besides, Syed Manirul and Babul died during the trial proceeding.
After examining the records and witnesses, Khulna Public Safety Disturbance Crime Prevention Tribunal Judge Saifuzzaman handed down the verdict.
Jatiya Party leader Shafiqul Hamid no more
Khulna Nagorik Forum Chair and Jatiya Party (JP) Presidium Member Sharif Shafiqul Hamid Chandan passed away on Thursday.
Man held for raping sister-in-law in Khulna
A 28-year-old man has been arrested in Khulna for allegedly recording an objectionable video of his sister-in-law and raping her multiple times by threatening to make it public, police said Friday.